All of the different components that comprise the governor's estate were constructed simultaneously. Yet given that the design is so diverse, it is easy to presume the various components were constructed over a period of many years. One of the most characteristic aspects of the design is precisely this play on time. A combination of different construction methods, materials and style elements from various periods are combined. Consider for example the sitting-room with an open fireplace (shown on the right), this is a component that is traditionally constructed using cog jointed timber, but has a Functional style window band.